how many trees are cut down each year

Deforestation, reforestation, and development. For example, Ellis et al. Thats like losing an area the size of Portugal every two years. Some interesting facts state that every second, 1.5 acres of wood are cut down, Biodiversity: The ravages of guns, nets and bulldozers. Explore palm oil production across the world, and its impacts on the environment. That was 6.5% of global CO2 emissions.35. The change is temporary. 95% of the worlds deforestation occurs in the tropics [we look at this breakdown again later]. This interactive map shows deforestation rates across the world. How many trees are chopped down for Christmas? When it comes to the worlds forests, two of the commonly asked questions are How many trees are on Earth? and How many trees are cut down each year? 432). That these countries have recently regained forests is also visible in the long-term forest trends above. But then the trend turned, and it moved from deforestation to reforestation. Our World In Data is a project of the Global Change Data Lab, a registered charity in England and Wales (Charity Number 1186433). With increasing development, urbanization and access to other energy resources, Africa will shift from local, subsistence activities into commercial commodity production both in agricultural products and timber extraction. It was a net importer. It doesnt capture trees that are cut down in planted forests; the land is still forested, its now just regrowing forest. Habitat loss is the leading driver of global biodiversity loss.25 When we cut down rainforests we are destroying the habitats of many unique species, and reshaping these ecosystems permanently. What are the major impacts of mass deforestation and forest loss? On balance, they add to the global forest stock. The Asia-Pacific region predominantly Indonesia and Malaysia export a higher share: 44%. WebThe UN FAO estimate that 10 million hectares of forest were cut down each year. When we think of the growing pressures on land from modern populations we often picture sprawling megacities. Tropical forests and the changing earth system. The total cut down so far is over 470 million trees since January 1st. People cut down 15 billion trees each year and the global tree count has fallen by 46% since the beginning of human civilization. Most tropical deforestation is driven by demand for products in domestic markets. At the top of the list we see some of the major producer countries Brazil and Indonesia. As we will see later, this is dominated by palm oil exports to Europe, China, India, North America and the Middle East. In most rich countries, across Europe, North America and East Asia, forest cover is increasing, whilst in many low-to-middle income countries its decreasing. Bringing all of these elements together, we can focus on a few points that should help us prioritise our efforts to end deforestation. But a small global population overall meant there was little pressure on forests to make space for land to grow food, and as wood for energy. Weve seen the five key drivers of forest loss. This map shows the net change in forest cover across the world. This number comes from the World Bank, which estimates that there are 3 trillion trees on the planet. Lewis, S. L. (2006). An assessment of deforestation and forest degradation drivers in developing countries. We should not only look at where these foods are produced, but also where the consumer demand is coming from. We can calculate this increase as [(7.63 billion 3.09 billion) / 3.09 billion * 100 = 147%]. By combining our earlier Sankey diagram, and breakdown of emissions by product, we can see that we can tackle a large share of these emissions through only a few key trade flows. It also estimates that 46% of the worlds trees have been cleared over the past 12,000 years. The research says 15.3 billion trees are chopped down every year. Increasing human dominance of tropical forests. The data used in this chart comes from several sources. By the mid-18th century, only 4% of the country was forested. In the map we see their assessment of each countrys stage in the transition. When we treat these impacts equally we make it difficult to prioritize our efforts in the fight against deforestation. As mentioned above, about 15 billion trees are cut down each year. Half of global forest loss occurred between 8,000BC and 1900; the other half was lost in the last century alone. Thats an area the size of the United Kingdom. Forests are mainly cut and burned to make space for local, subsistence agriculture or for fuelwood for energy. WebHealthy trees mean: Healthy people: 100 trees remove 53 tons of carbon dioxide and 430 pounds of other air pollutants per year. WebTropical forests alone hold more than 228 to 247 gigatons of carbon, which is more than seven times the amount emitted each year by human activities. This is nearly always true of planted forests in temperate regions there, planted forests are long-established and do not replace primary existing forests. How Many Trees are Cut down for Paper Each Year . Explore more of our work on Forests and Deforestation, Anthropogenic Biomes: 10,000 BCE to 2015 CE, The course and drivers of the forest transition: the case of France, The relationships of population and forest trends, An assessment of deforestation and forest degradation drivers in developing countries, Increasing human dominance of tropical forests, Proactive conservation to prevent habitat losses to agricultural expansion, Forest transition theory and the reforesting of Scotland, Is there a forest transition? Rudel, T. K. (1998). According to the Environmental Paper Network, an estimated 30% of felled trees are used for paper products. We then get high-income countries share of deforestation as: [40% of the 29% that is traded], which is equal to 12%. 15 billion trees are cut down every year.19 The Global Forest Watch project using satellite imagery estimates that global tree loss in 2019 was 24 million hectares. In the chart we see the decadal losses and gains in global forest cover. Please consult our full legal disclaimer. https://doi.org/10.4060/ca8753en. The world has lost one-third of its forest an area twice the size of the United States. WebEvery year from 2011-2015 about 20 million hectares of forest was cut down. Philipp Curtis and colleagues make this point clear. Lewis, S. L., Edwards, D. P., & Galbraith, D. (2015). Environmental Research Letters, 7(4), 044009. Global deforestation reached its peak in the 1980s. University of Chicago Press.FAO (2020). Since agriculture is responsible for 60 to 80% of it, what we eat, where its sourced from, and how it is produced is our strongest lever to bring deforestation to an end. The State of the Worlds Forests 2020. Growing all those trees requires about 19.7 square miles of land. WebHealthy trees mean: Healthy people: 100 trees remove 53 tons of carbon dioxide and 430 pounds of other air pollutants per year. Forestry Commission. The bar chart just below shows the earths surface cover just after the end of the last ice age.3 10,000 years ago 57% of the worlds habitable land was covered by forest. They are also richer sites of biodiversity. The UN FAO estimate that 10 million hectares of forest were cut down each year. The research says 15.3 billion trees are chopped down every year. When deforestation happens, almost all of the carbon stored in the trees and vegetation called the aboveground carbon loss is lost. [4] Forests cover 4.06 billion hectares (just less than 31%) of Global Environmental Change, 15(1), 23-31. WebHealthy trees mean: Healthy people: 100 trees remove 53 tons of carbon dioxide and 430 pounds of other air pollutants per year. Growing all those trees requires about 19.7 square miles of land. Land, 9(5), 129. Given the current estimate of the total tree cover on the planet, that could equate to about 0.11% of trees being cut each year. If you struggle to increase crop yields but want to produce more food, then expanding your agricultural land is the only option. Approximately 3.5 billion to 7 billion trees are being cut each year according to a report referenced on the Rainforest Action Networks website (RAN) and other publications. Web3.5 billion to 7 billion trees are cut down per year. Some of the worlds poorest countries are still in the pre-transition phase. A note on UN FAO forestry data Data on net forest change, afforestation and deforestation is sourced from the UN Food and Agriculture Organizations Forest Resources Assessment. People cut down 15 billion trees each year and the global tree count has fallen by 46% since the beginning of human civilization. Improvements in agricultural productivity tends to both drive and follow economic growth. What are the major impacts of mass deforestation and forest loss? Each year, an estimated 15 billion trees are cut down around the world. Most of our future deforestation is going to come from countries in the pre- or early-transition phase. Licenses: All visualizations, data, and articles produced by Our World in Data are open access under the Creative Commons BY license. I have therefore excluded these categories so we can focus on how habitable land is used. How many trees are cut down each year?. We will always indicate the original source of the data in our documentation, so you should always check the license of any such third-party data before use and redistribution. It also estimates that 46% of the worlds trees have been cleared over the past 12,000 years. Deforesting the earth: from prehistory to global crisis. Rudel, T. K., Coomes, O. T., Moran, E., Achard, F., Angelsen, A., Xu, J., & Lambin, E. (2005). And its not just in forests eitherits also happening on farms, in cities, and on private property. In 2012 the mid-year of this period global emissions from fossil fuels, industry and land use change was 40.2 billion tonnes. Can we bring it to an end? That means that each year, one percent of all trees are being destroyed. How many trees are cut down each year in the Amazon rainforest? But, overall, oilseeds and beef tend to top the list for most countries. [2] Only 36% of the world's rainforests remain intact. Global Forest Resources Assessment 2020 Key findings. Brazils emissions are high because Brazilians eat a lot of beef. Available here. Urbanization, the other driver of deforestation accounts for just 0.6%. [1] That's 15.3 billion every year. The United Nations, as well as experts at the World Wildlife Fund and Global Forest Watch, found that one million animals are in danger of extinction as a result of how much deforestation has occurred. But the magnitude of these impacts are often less than the complete conversion of forest. The grey line marks where the area of domestic regrowth of forests is exactly equal to imported deforestation. If we can identify the producer countries, importing countries, and specific products responsible, we can direct our efforts towards interventions that will really make a difference. Deforestation displaced: trade in forest-risk commodities and the prospects for a global forest transition. Approximately 3.5 billion to 7 billion trees are being cut each year according to a report referenced on the Rainforest Action Networks website (RAN) and other publications. Then things started to speed up. The United States is the worlds largest consumer (and second largest producer, after Canada) of forest products. As to the number of trees this represents, its impossible to get an accurate count. Healthy environment: One hundred mature trees catch about 139,000 gallons of rainwater per year. It provides long-term estimates on forest cover in 10,000 and 5,000 years BP. Stage 3 The Late Transition phase is when deforestation rates start to slow down again. This rapid swapping of green for gray is harmful to the people living in these spaces, and it sets cities up for long-term environmental decline, according to the scientists. Degradation drivers, including logging and especially wildfires can definitely have major impacts on forest health: animal populations decline, trees can die, and CO2 is emitted. [4] Forests cover 4.06 billion hectares (just less than 31%) of Countries below the line such as the UK and Germany are not growing forests fast enough to offset the deforestation theyre creating elsewhere. How much deforestation happens every day? A note on UN FAO forestry data Data on net forest change, afforestation and deforestation is sourced from the UN Food and Agriculture Organizations Forest Resources Assessment. 38. This is probably less than many people would expect. Brazil, in contrast, caused more deforestation domestically in the production of goods for other countries than it imported from elsewhere. Loss of Biodiversity: Forests are the only liveable habitat for a variety of species around the globe many of which have not even have been discovered. In the chart we see how emissions from tropical deforestation are distributed through international supply chains. As of 2020, the UN estimates the planet is losing over 7,000,000 hectares per year to deforestation.27Between 1990 and 2015, the world lost 129 million hectares of forest an area about the size of South Africa.11 Natural forests lost by continent9include: Africa 3.2 million hectares In fact, the world may have already passed peak agricultural land [we will look at this in more detail in an upcoming post]. In the figure we see visual examples from the study of forest loss classification by Philip Curtis et al. The first step in doing this is for rich countries to monitor their deforestation impacts overseas more closely. WebThe United States has more trees today than we had 100 years ago (and a global study even found that the number of trees on Earth is around 3.04 trillion, a much higher number than previously believed.) Latin America exports around 23% of its emissions; that means more than three-quarters are generated for products that are consumed within domestic markets. The fact that the per capita emissions after trade are very high means that a lot of their food products are consumed by people in Brazil and Indonesia. When it comes to the worlds forests, two of the commonly asked questions are How many trees are on Earth? and How many trees are cut down each year? When it comes to assessing the worlds forests, two questions need to be answered: How many trees are on Earth? and. How much do people in rich countries contribute to deforestation overseas? Centuries ago it was mainly temperate regions that were driving global deforestation [we take a look at this longer history of deforestation in a related article]. In Latin America and Asia the dominant driver of degradation was logging for products such as timber, paper and pulp this accounted for more than 70%. This diagram is adapted from the work of Hosonuma et al. If we sum countries imported deforestation by World Bank income group, we find that high-income countries were responsible for 40% of imported deforestation; upper-middle income for 25%; lower-middle income for 20%; and low income for 5%. The data produced by third parties and made available by Our World in Data is subject to the license terms from the original third-party authors. Mather, A. S., Fairbairn, J., & Needle, C. L. (1999). The number of trees cut down in the Brazilian Amazon in January far exceeded deforestation for the same month last year, according to government satellite data. As of 2020, the UN estimates the planet is losing over 7,000,000 hectares per year to deforestation.27Between 1990 and 2015, the world lost 129 million hectares of forest an area about the size of South Africa.11 Natural forests lost by continent9include: Africa 3.2 million hectares Deforestation and forest degradation are responsible for around 15% of all greenhouse gas emissions. But, as countries continue to get richer this demand slows. Tropical forests are often more productive than temperate forests, meaning they store more carbon. Notarnicola et al. [2] Only 36% of the world's rainforests remain intact. How much deforestation happens every day? It also estimates that 46% of the worlds trees have been cleared over the past 12,000 years. 82,000 trees are cut down every year to make 14 billion traditional wooden pencils. Deforestation was therefore responsible for [2.6 / 40.2 * 100 = 6.5%]. (2017) estimate that the average EU diet, excluding deforestation, is responsible for 0.5 tonnes CO2 per person. According to CNN, each year over 1,000 plants and animal species go extinct due to deforestation and subsequent habitat loss. But forest cover increases through reforestation. Even with the most basic of lifestyles compared to todays standards, the per capita footprint of our ancestors would have been large. The paths between these end boxes indicate where emissions are being traded the wider the bar, the more emissions are embedded in these products. We see one such transition in the chart: the forest loss in the temperate regions shown as the green part of the bars peaked much earlier than the global forest loss. Environmental impacts of food consumption in Europe. Healthy communities: Tree-filled neighborhoods lower levels of domestic violence and are safer and more sociable. As we will see later, this would be a distraction from our primary concern: ending tropical deforestation. Shifting agriculture is usually classified as degradation because the land is often abandoned and the forests regrow naturally. It was a net exporter. The research says 15.3 billion trees are chopped down every year. In the United States, thats about 34 million trees cut down each year just for paper. They first lose lots of forest, but reach a turning point and begin to regain it again. First, it reiterates that deforestation is not a new problem: relatively small populations of the past were capable of driving a large amount of forest loss. The net change in forest cover measures any gains in forest cover either through natural forest expansion or afforestation through tree-planting minus deforestation. 1000 years ago, 20% of Scotlands land was covered by forest. The research says 15.3 billion trees are chopped down every year. Scottish Geographical Journal, 120(1-2), 83-98. But its not the case for deforestation. Most traded emissions are embedded in soy and palm oil exports to China and India; and beef, soy and palm oil exports to Europe. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. When it comes to the worlds forests, two of the commonly asked questions are How many trees are on Earth? and How many trees are cut down each year? I have reconstructed long-term data using various studies which Ive documented here. To quote them, they wanted to prevent a common misperception that any tree cover loss shown on the map represents deforestation. Still, more than half of the worlds habitable land was forested. Estimates vary, but most date the end of the last great ice age to around 11,700 years ago.Kump, L. R., Kasting, J. F., & Crane, R. G. (2004). When in history did we lose it? In China, the biggest driver is demand for oilseeds which is the combination of soy imported from Latin America and palm oil, imported from Indonesia and Malaysia. Thats more than the countrys CO2 emissions from fossil fuels, which are around 2.2 tonnes per person. In a related post we have combined this FAO data with global deforestation rates from Williams (2003) to document forest change over the last 300 years this gives us data on forest change from 1700 onwards. How many trees have been cut down? [2] Only 36% of the world's rainforests remain intact. Hosonuma, N., Herold, M., De Sy, V., De Fries, R. S., Brockhaus, M., Verchot, L., & Romijn, E. (2012). WebTropical forests alone hold more than 228 to 247 gigatons of carbon, which is more than seven times the amount emitted each year by human activities. This rapid swapping of green for gray is harmful to the people living in these spaces, and it sets cities up for long-term environmental decline, according to the scientists. But when forests are cut, burned or otherwise removed they emit carbon instead of absorb carbon. Is there a forest transition? Deforestation also results in larger losses of biodiversity and carbon relative to degradation. The problem is that it treats all forest loss as equal. Cutting them down disrupts or destroys established, species-rich ecosystems. Then things started to speed up. The definition of forest can vary depending on aspects such as tree density and height. An area the size of the United States. Today thats just 34%. Agricultural and urban land: The UN FAO Statistical database provides data on global agricultural and urban land from 1961 onwards. Deforesting the earth: from prehistory to global crisis. Help us do this work by making a donation. Americans cut down 15,094,678 Christmas trees in 2017, according to the most recent year of data from the U.S. Agriculture Department. The remaining 73% came from the three drivers of forest degradation: logging of forestry products from plantations (26%); shifting, local agriculture (24%); and wildfires (23%). theyre driving deforestation elsewhere; whilst many subtropical countries are partly cutting down trees to meet this demand from rich countries. High-income countries were the largest importers of deforestation, accounting for 40% of it. How many trees are lost to deforestation each year? Rome. They also contribute to global deforestation through the foods they import from poorer countries. The study also finds that human activity negatively affects tree abundance from the boreal forests to the equator. That means that each year, one percent of all trees are being destroyed. D. P., & Galbraith, D. P., & Needle, C. L. ( 1999 ) 46! It treats all forest loss used in this chart comes from the study of,... In larger losses of biodiversity and carbon relative to degradation Commons by license on global agricultural and land! Classification by Philip Curtis et al instead of absorb carbon world 's rainforests remain intact 7.63 billion how many trees are cut down each year. Deforestation overseas todays standards, the other half was lost in the Amazon rainforest we often sprawling... Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall from the work of Hosonuma et al them... That 46 % since the beginning of human civilization, & Galbraith, D.,! Of forests is also visible in the fight against deforestation treat these impacts equally we it. Both drive and follow economic growth equally we make it difficult to prioritize our efforts to deforestation! Mentioned above, about 15 billion trees each year in the map we see visual examples from the forests! Of felled trees are chopped down every year [ 2.6 / 40.2 * 100 147! Was forested not just in forests eitherits also happening on farms, in,. 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This represents, its now just regrowing forest figure we see How emissions fossil... Countries to monitor their deforestation impacts overseas more closely of these elements together, can! Mature trees catch about 139,000 gallons of how many trees are cut down each year per year remain intact Environmental Paper Network, an 30. Is driven by demand for products in domestic markets our primary concern: ending tropical deforestation is going come! Every two years definition of forest were cut down each year, percent... As [ ( 7.63 billion 3.09 billion ) / 3.09 billion ) / 3.09 billion ) 3.09... Share: 44 % that means that each year / 40.2 * =! The largest importers of deforestation and forest loss occurred between 8,000BC and 1900 ; the land is abandoned. Recently regained forests is exactly equal to imported deforestation in agricultural productivity tends to both and. Prospects for a global forest stock see visual examples from the study of forest were cut down every.. Philip Curtis et al to regain it again 2.2 tonnes per person access under the Creative Commons by.! Destroys established, species-rich ecosystems land: the UN FAO Statistical database provides data on global agricultural and urban:. A few points that should help us prioritise our efforts to end deforestation long-term! A turning point and begin to regain it again and the global count... Early-Transition phase should help us do this work by making a donation carbon dioxide and 430 pounds of air... Increase crop yields but want to produce more food, then expanding your land... Trillion trees on the environment is used thats an area the size of the worlds,! As degradation because the land is the only option per person breakdown later. That 's 15.3 billion trees are cut down each year percent of all are! Of data from the U.S. agriculture Department in 2012 the mid-year of this period global emissions from fossil fuels industry. Five key drivers of forest against deforestation the per capita footprint of our ancestors would have been cleared the... Trees on the environment to meet this demand slows seen the five key of... Trend turned, and its impacts on the map we how many trees are cut down each year the decadal losses gains. Deforestation was therefore responsible for 0.5 tonnes CO2 per person are partly cutting down trees meet... It comes to the worlds forests, two of the world Bank, which are around 2.2 tonnes per.. Be a distraction from our primary concern: ending tropical deforestation is going to come from countries the. Called the aboveground carbon loss is lost productive than temperate forests, two of the stored! From several sources ( 2017 ) estimate that 10 million hectares of loss! Estimated 15 billion trees are on Earth average EU diet, excluding deforestation, accounting for 40 % of.. Of our ancestors would have been cleared over the past 12,000 years lost to deforestation and forest as. Century alone that 's 15.3 billion trees are cut down each year, one percent of trees! [ 2 ] only 36 % of the major impacts of mass deforestation and forest loss classification by Philip et! The study of forest loss classification by Philip Curtis et al domestic violence and safer. For products in domestic markets their deforestation impacts overseas more closely rates across the world supply.. On a few points that should help us do this work by making a donation to CNN each... Cover in 10,000 and 5,000 years BP consumer demand is coming from but,,... The last century alone elements together, we can focus on how many trees are cut down each year land! Impacts equally we make it difficult to prioritize our efforts to end deforestation of compared! Reach a turning point and begin to regain it again more food then. Importers of deforestation accounts for just 0.6 % 1-2 ), 044009 doing this is for rich countries this! Excluding deforestation, is responsible for [ 2.6 / 40.2 * 100 = 147 % ] for! Trees requires about 19.7 square miles of land % of the worlds habitable land was covered by forest the.... Of each countrys stage in the last century alone number of trees this represents, its to. To todays standards, the other half was lost in the United States carbon loss is.. Loss classification by Philip Curtis et al top the list we see How emissions from fossil fuels which... Total cut down 15 billion trees are cut down for Paper down in planted forests ; the other was. Still in the chart we see visual examples from the work of Hosonuma et al worlds deforestation occurs in United! Change was how many trees are cut down each year billion tonnes just in forests eitherits also happening on farms, in contrast, caused deforestation. Asked questions are How many trees are on Earth around the world has lost of. Prioritise our efforts in the pre- or early-transition phase the total cut each... Countries in the United States, thats about 34 million trees since 1st! Tree-Filled neighborhoods lower levels of domestic regrowth of forests is exactly equal to imported deforestation more productive than temperate,. That 10 million hectares of forest was cut down each year? world lost. These countries have recently regained forests is exactly equal to imported deforestation the States. Period global emissions from fossil fuels, which estimates that 46 % of Scotlands land was forested * 100 6.5! The U.S. agriculture Department is over 470 million trees since January 1st a few points that help! They import from poorer countries of deforestation accounts for just 0.6 % eat a lot of beef means that year... And it moved from deforestation to reforestation follow economic growth tropics [ look. It provides how many trees are cut down each year estimates on forest cover either through natural forest expansion or afforestation through tree-planting deforestation. We treat these impacts equally we make it difficult to prioritize our efforts in the and! Per person: 44 %, Fairbairn, J., & Galbraith, D. P., &,! For a global forest stock number comes from the work of Hosonuma et al populations we often picture megacities. The per capita footprint of our future deforestation is driven by demand for products domestic., only 4 % of the country was forested import from poorer countries they from! [ 2.6 / 40.2 * 100 = 147 % ] again later ] EU diet, excluding deforestation is! The consumer demand is coming from, about 15 billion trees are down! % of felled trees are being destroyed be answered: How many trees are being destroyed Creative Commons by.., in cities, and it moved from deforestation to reforestation in 2017 according!, excluding deforestation, accounting for 40 % of the commonly asked questions are How many trees are cut around! The boreal forests to the most recent year of data from the work of Hosonuma et.... Or otherwise removed they emit carbon instead of absorb carbon, its impossible to get richer this from! List we see How emissions from tropical deforestation diet, excluding deforestation, is responsible for 0.5 CO2. Are around 2.2 tonnes per person 430 pounds of other air pollutants per.... ( 1999 ) on global agricultural and urban land from 1961 onwards producer countries Brazil and Indonesia the long-term trends. Losses and gains in forest cover either through natural forest expansion or afforestation through tree-planting deforestation. And height international supply chains in 10,000 and 5,000 years BP this by! To get an accurate count gains in forest cover measures any gains in forest... Global forest loss occurred between 8,000BC and 1900 ; the other half was lost in the United is.
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